1
as in curious
interested in what is not one's own business
as we moved into our new home, we could sense that there were prying eyes watching us
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in busy
thrusting oneself where one is not welcome or invited
prying neighbors who refuse to mind their own business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in pulling
to raise, move, or pull apart with or as if with a lever
it took some effort to pry up the trap door
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in yanking
to draw out by force or with effort
a vain attempt to pry the cork out of a wine bottle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in interfering
to interest oneself in what is not one's concern
don't go prying into other people's business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in questioning
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prying
Ben Coxworth
october 07, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2025
The film stages its riot of activity as hard-nosed honesty, but its portrait is ultimately as ginned-up and inexact as the fictional news broadcast’s lurid prying.
—Richard Lawson, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
Other prying eyes won’t have access to the documents, either.
—Zoe Guy, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025
Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin, oregonlive, 4 Feb. 2023
But inquiring into the specifics of familial dynamics is impudent and prying — and a line of questioning that most people would be happy to avoid answering themselves.
—Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2023
The Google Nest Hub (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is a great smart display with no camera (and therefore no risk of unwanted prying eyes).
—Brenda Stolyar and Medea Giordano, WIRED, 28 Nov. 2022
To my mind, however, there’s a difference between a Google or a Facebook, which provide valuable services in return for their prying eyes, and an app that serves a single, ostensibly benign purpose — parking validation.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2021
Carry two phones While anti-spy software may be effective in staving off the prying eyes of the Chinese government, not everyone knows how to install it.
—Jane Li, Quartz, 6 Aug. 2019
Its purpose: to train librarians to implement secure protocols on their own web services, and to teach members of the community to evade the prying eyes of governments, corporations, and criminal hackers.
—Eoin O'Carroll, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Oct. 2017
One reason Russians have loaded up on passports is that Cypriot citizenship helps them avoid the prying eyes of their government and pay lower taxes.
—Yalman Onaran, Bloomberg.com, 11 May 2017
Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald, 13 Oct. 2025
Despite increasingly menacing warnings to back off and stop prying into the lives of rich power players thorny about their privacy, Lo remains determined to get to the truth.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2025
According to Alixandra, who didn't share her surname, Sparrow masterminded her own midnight feast by toppling the feeder and prying off the lid.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
This is about creating a childhood away from prying eyes, giving his children the space and support to enjoy being children without a care in the world.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 3 Sep. 2025
But such players tend to make these adjustments in the course of many weeks, on private practice courts in Delray or Monaco or Abu Dhabi, far from TV cameras and prying journalists.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2025
Recruiting and prying away a successor added another $9 million in sign-on incentives.
—Julian Hayes Ii, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
For the first time, regulators are prying open the monopolies that have defined the digital age.
—Christian Kroll, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2025
Unfortunately, the paparazzi still supplied tabloids with prying eyes into the star’s personal life, so Lohan left London for good around the end of 2016.
—Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
The prying end also serves as a nail puller, box cutter and bottle opener.
—Ben Coxworth
october 07, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2025
The film stages its riot of activity as hard-nosed honesty, but its portrait is ultimately as ginned-up and inexact as the fictional news broadcast’s lurid prying.
—Richard Lawson, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
Other prying eyes won’t have access to the documents, either.
—Zoe Guy, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
But inquiring into the specifics of familial dynamics is impudent and prying -- and a line of questioning that most people would be happy to avoid answering themselves.
—Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin, oregonlive, 4 Feb. 2023
But inquiring into the specifics of familial dynamics is impudent and prying — and a line of questioning that most people would be happy to avoid answering themselves.
—Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2023
The Google Nest Hub (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is a great smart display with no camera (and therefore no risk of unwanted prying eyes).
—Brenda Stolyar and Medea Giordano, WIRED, 28 Nov. 2022
To my mind, however, there’s a difference between a Google or a Facebook, which provide valuable services in return for their prying eyes, and an app that serves a single, ostensibly benign purpose — parking validation.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2021
Carry two phones While anti-spy software may be effective in staving off the prying eyes of the Chinese government, not everyone knows how to install it.
—Jane Li, Quartz, 6 Aug. 2019
Its purpose: to train librarians to implement secure protocols on their own web services, and to teach members of the community to evade the prying eyes of governments, corporations, and criminal hackers.
—Eoin O'Carroll, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Oct. 2017
One reason Russians have loaded up on passports is that Cypriot citizenship helps them avoid the prying eyes of their government and pay lower taxes.
—Yalman Onaran, Bloomberg.com, 11 May 2017
Noun
According to police, the burglaries were committed with a prying tool, which was used to gain access to businesses after hours.
—Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald, 13 Oct. 2025
Despite increasingly menacing warnings to back off and stop prying into the lives of rich power players thorny about their privacy, Lo remains determined to get to the truth.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2025
According to Alixandra, who didn't share her surname, Sparrow masterminded her own midnight feast by toppling the feeder and prying off the lid.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
This is about creating a childhood away from prying eyes, giving his children the space and support to enjoy being children without a care in the world.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 3 Sep. 2025
But such players tend to make these adjustments in the course of many weeks, on private practice courts in Delray or Monaco or Abu Dhabi, far from TV cameras and prying journalists.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2025
Recruiting and prying away a successor added another $9 million in sign-on incentives.
—Julian Hayes Ii, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
For the first time, regulators are prying open the monopolies that have defined the digital age.
—Christian Kroll, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2025
Unfortunately, the paparazzi still supplied tabloids with prying eyes into the star’s personal life, so Lohan left London for good around the end of 2016.
—Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prying
Adjective
-
The new record is almost defiantly curious, searching rather than authoritative.—
Hannah Giorgis Yohannes,
Rolling Stone,
20 Oct. 2025
-
For the past 35 years, a row of four vacant 19th-century townhouses on Duffield Street in Downtown Brooklyn has drawn curious looks from passerby.—
Kim Velsey,
Curbed,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
As a result, his street gets extremely busy in the weeks leading up to Halloween.—
Endia Fontanez,
AZCentral.com,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Do Not Disturb will be another major moment for the 2024 Rolling Stone Future of Music digital cover star, who’s already had a busy 2025.—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Philosophical questioning returns for a final edit when Neptune retrogrades back to Pisces.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
22 Oct. 2025
-
However, Buster was never brought in for questioning.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Babies also have new behaviors, from a playful and inquisitive Diplodocus to a more timid Moros Intrepidus.—
Griff Griffin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
-
The Creature, who remains nameless throughout the novel, develops into a sensitive and inquisitive soul, yet one shunned by the world for his appearance.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In the scene, Panahi trades grisly interrogation stories with the activist and fellow former political prisoner Nasrin Sotoudeh.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Authorities testified Friday that Benkired confessed to killing Lola during their first interrogation, according to the newspaper.—
Sean Neumann,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The policy at hand says district employees aren’t allowed to physically restrain a student except in emergency situations when a student’s behavior is immediately dangerous and after exhausting less intrusive alternatives.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
14 Oct. 2025
-
But those intrusive thoughts can wait for another day.—
Jim Barnes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Newsweek contacted the Department of Justice for comment on Saturday via media inquiry form outside of regular office hours.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Several other board members also did not reply to AP inquiries.—
Bill Barrow,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Beverly also worked around a bunch of really nosy people, many of whom were good at reading upside down.—
Brad Schmitt,
Nashville Tennessean,
20 Oct. 2025
-
As other pet owners can attest, Cosmo isn’t the first pup to be caught being nosey.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prying. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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